For the last decade, Islam has been under a lot of scrutiny, and understandably so. When you’ve got terrorists all over the world declaring war on America and the West in the name of Islam, it’s only natural that people will have questions.

But this reasonable concern has rapidly turned into irrational suspicion, with anti-Muslim groups seizing on the opportunity to paint all Muslims in America as radical-loving, violence-approving foreigners.

The problem is that the response from American Muslims has been about as effective as Herman Cain’s PR strategy in the face of sexual harassment allegations. Instead of pooling our resources to combat radicalism, or taking a more active role in our communities so that other Americans better understand us, we’ve resorted to defense tactics.

We tell people that the Quran is being taken out of context. We focus on efforts to try to “educate” the American public. And we desperately cling to the idea that if people just had a better grasp of the facts on Islam, they wouldn’t buy into anti-Muslim propaganda.

Unsurprisingly, none of that has changed Americans' view of Islam.

So when I heard that TLC was doing a reality show about several American Muslim families, I was intrigued. The show wasn’t going to feature scholars refuting the (ridiculous) claims made about Islam. It was going to show regular Muslim families living in America. It was going to show, rather than simply tell, people about Muslims and Islam.

After three weeks of airing, “All-American Muslim” has done just that. Whether it was Mr. Aoude prepping his pregnant wife for that hectic hospital trip, or newlyweds Jeff and Shadia worrying about how their families will get along, it has shown viewers the single most important truth that will change the perceptions of Muslims: We are just like everyone else.

There has been widespread praise from TV critics, calling the show "intimate and heartfelt" and "as good as it gets" and praising TLC for how it has "upended the conventions of reality television."

The show’s premiere had 1.7 million viewers, making it the No. 2 program in its time slot among key demographics and scoring TLC's best Sunday prime time performance in more than a year.

Predictably, the show was also met with harsh and unfair criticism. Anti-Muslim groups wasted no time citing this as another example of Muslims trying to “take over” America.

Is the show a perfect cross-section of the American Muslim demographic? Are they the most religious families? Is it full of people you aspire to be one day?

No, of course not. It’s reality TV. It’s entertainment. We American Muslims ought to look at it in the grand scheme of things instead of just criticizing the show by saying it “doesn’t represent me.”

You’re right. It doesn’t represent you.

That’s because no TV show, no organization, no movement is ever going to represent you better than you can represent yourself.

“All-American Muslim” is not going to change the image of Muslims on its own. But it’s got the right idea. It’s premised on the fact that people judge a group not just on its beliefs, but also on their interactions with members of that group.

So if you don’t think “All-American Muslim” represents you, then go out into your community and show people what being Muslim is all about, from your perspective. Whether it’s a book club or a basketball league, we can all have our own “All-American Muslim” moments.

The most important take-away from a show like “All-American Muslim” is that we Muslims should focus our efforts on showing average Americans that we share far more in common with them than some would like them to believe.

And you don’t need a TV show to do that, you just have to have the courage to break out of your shell and share in those experiences with your American brethren.

Don’t treat TLC’s reality show as the only hope for changing our image, or as our one shot at showing America what Islam is all about. Don’t treat it as needing to be a flawless, immaculate portrayal of Muslims in America.

Treat it as a first step. Consider it a new approach. Look at it as the beginning of the long journey we have ahead, in changing the negative stereotypes about Muslims in America.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Khurram Dara.

soundoff(2,050 Responses)

Mark David said that in reality there is not one case in history of xtian killing anyone. as jesus never taught this. Which planet did he come from?

November 29, 2011 at 2:38 am |

theSmartone

christians kill millions of people
jesus never taught this
moslems kill thousands of people
muhammad supposedly taught this

whose better?

November 29, 2011 at 3:19 am |

arisha nasir

Listen to me Muslim brother and sister. I have lived here long enough to see the truth. We will never be fully accepted in American culture, anymore than we will accept the idea of self government without Allah. For many of us we struck a victory, but with that attack we must also accept eternal hatred. I can accept that, knowing we never intended to become American, we only intended to make America ours. For now I will accept my place until then.

November 29, 2011 at 2:38 am |

Kat

haha nice try Zionazi posing as a trash talking Muslim

November 29, 2011 at 2:42 am |

Edwin

More likely just a troll, looking to get as many people upset as possible.

November 29, 2011 at 2:58 am |

theSmartone

as a moslem, you will never be welcome anywhere in the world east or west. wherever you go, the secular elite will despise you for being too religious and too pious. whether here in america or arabia or pakistan or libya, iraq, iran (until recently), the rulers and kings and dictators will always hate you and use you as the bogeyman. get used to it.

the jews have been living with the very same problem for centuries. now that they are rich, they can atleast shove a stick up these rulers, kings and dictators and protect themselves from harm. otherwise, both of you would be in the same schithole at the moment.

November 29, 2011 at 3:24 am |

Edwin

Smartone: I hope you are wrong. It may not be much comfort, but muslims, jews, and christians lived at peace with each other for hundreds of years in parts of what was Yugoslavia, until outside countries attacked them. It *is* possible to find peace and create a haven of tolerance, if you can get those with agendas to stop creating hate propaganda. But it takes a long time, probably longer than a lifetime, before the peace really sets in - deep rooted prejudice does not get erased by a TV show or a few enlightened laws.

As a member of the secular elite, I do not despise you for being overly religious. As long as you can accept my lack of devotion and still respect me as a good person, I can do likewise.

November 29, 2011 at 3:33 am |

Deb

Yup, that's not going to help.

November 29, 2011 at 3:48 am |

Jose M. Pulido

areisha nasir is right: No other Islamist/Muslim terrorist could have better expressed the reason they are here in the USA–to destroy them and turn the USA into another God-forsaken Ismlamic/Muslim dictatorship. "We only intended to make America ours," she wrote.

November 29, 2011 at 3:55 am |

Not a Jew, Muslim, or Xian

Bi4bigbang, oh ok, so you get to detremine who is a christian then? Basically if someone does something nasty and were raised or claimed to be a christian, they truly aren't? Gimme a break. And TN CHristian, you are pathetic as well. Look at all the nasty things done in the name of christianity... why the only good thing is some of the art inspired by it. You guys are loony tunes, so if a Msulim does something not terroristy, then he isn't really a Muslim, but if a Self Described or laballed by others Christian does something nasty, he really isnt a Christian. All 3 of you cousins (Jews, Muslims, Xians) are a delusional lot, self obssessed, small minded yet utterly confident. You 3 are a plauge upon this world. The only prophet of any of you who wasnt a jerk was Jesus, and non of you Xians are anything like him (w a few exceptions). You guys are pretty much the only religions in which it's been okay to kill people who refuse to believe your garbage. Ha! So you are also completley insecure.

November 29, 2011 at 2:26 am |

Mark David

im an atheist. and i firmly believe you are not following the tenets of a religion then you are not of that religion. islam does infact say to kill non believers. so they are following the religion when they do that. jesus never said to kill anyone and infact said the opposite. so if you follow the teachings of jesus then you would not be a killer.
a vegan who eats meat is not a vegan no matter how many times they say they are.
eigher you are following the religion or not.

November 29, 2011 at 2:30 am |

Mark from Middle River

>>>"oh ok, so you get to determine who is a Christian then? "

>>>"You 3 are a plague upon this world."

Ahh.... you chide another for saying that he or she is determining who is what but, by the end of your tirade you have determined who are the plagues.

Seems that you have become what you hate. All of you intolerant bunches are the same, both within and outside of the Faiths.

Its not the groups that are the problems it is individuals such as yourself who are.

I am sorry to let you know. 😦

November 29, 2011 at 2:32 am |

Mark David

some people use the word xtian more as a way to identify themself as a type of western person. europeans are more likely to say xtian then say americans. but they are not talking about religion when they say this.

November 29, 2011 at 2:32 am |

Mark David

and with that rant mark fromt he middle you have joined us.

November 29, 2011 at 2:33 am |

Kat

that's a lie in both counts:
Koran: "Say to the disbelievers, I do not worship what/who you worship, and you do not worship who I worship, and I will not worship what/who you worship, nor will you worship who I worship. To you is your religion, and to me is my religion" 109:1-6

"Let there be no compulsion in religion for the truth is clear and falsehood is clear....It is not on you to guide them but God guides whoever He wishes" 2:256

Jesus/Bible "kill all boys, women, and girls but keep the virgin ones for yourselves" Numbers 31:17-18

November 29, 2011 at 2:35 am |

Mark from Middle River

>>>"and with that rant mark from the middle you have joined us."

Then if me, you and the Muslims are doing the same then .... haven't you just joined them as well. 🙂

If you take the time to talk and converse with folks you will find that you have in fact very much in common.

Welcome to the world dude. 🙂

November 29, 2011 at 2:41 am |

Mark David

Question:
Are Muslims allowed to make friends with Christians, Jews or other non-Muslims?

Summary Answer:
Unbelievers are described by Muhammad (in the Qur'an) as "the vilest of animals" and "losers." Christians and Jews are hated by Allah to the extent that they are destined for eternal doom as a result of their beliefs. It would make no sense for Muhammad to then recommend them to be taken in as friends by Muslims. In fact, the Qur'an plainly commands believers not to take unbelievers as friends.

November 29, 2011 at 2:17 am |

Mark David

now ask your muslim friend if they can be friends under islam with a jew or xtians and see what they say.

November 29, 2011 at 2:18 am |

Mark David

now ask your muslim friend if they can be friends under islam with a christian or jew and find out what they say. they will probably lie to you as islam promotes lieing to promote islam

November 29, 2011 at 2:19 am |

Mark David

Qur'an (5:51) – "O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people."

Qur'an (5:80) – "You will see many of them befriending those who disbelieve; certainly evil is that which their souls have sent before for them, that Allah became displeased with them and in chastisement shall they abide." Those Muslims who befriend unbelievers will abide in hell.

Qur'an (3:28) – "Let not the believers Take for friends or helpers Unbelievers rather than believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from Allah: except by way of precaution, that ye may Guard yourselves from them..." This last part means that the Muslim is allowed to feign friendship if it is of benefit. Renowned scholar Ibn Kathir states that "believers are allowed to show friendship outwardly, but never inwardly."

Qur'an (3:118) – "O you who believe! do not take for intimate friends from among others than your own people, they do not fall short of inflicting loss upon you; they love what distresses you; vehement hatred has already appeared from out of their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater still; indeed, We have made the communications clear to you, if you will understand." This verse not only warns Muslims not to take non-Muslims as friends, but it establishes the deep-seated paranoia that the rest of the world is out to get them.

Qur'an (9:23) – "O ye who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith. Whoso of you taketh them for friends, such are wrong-doers" Even family members are not to be taken as friends if they do not accept Islam. (This is the mildest interpretation of this verse from the 9th Sura, which also advocates "slaying the unbeliever wherever ye find them").

Qur'an (53:29) – "Therefore shun those who turn away from Our Message and desire nothing but the life of this world."

November 29, 2011 at 2:19 am |

Kat

geez I can see how that makes sense. Who wants to be a friend with a hate mongering stubborn mule who insist to tell Muslims what they should believe and how they should feel dismissing anyone's response as invalid because he only has all the answers from some anti-islam bigot sites.

November 29, 2011 at 2:26 am |

Mark David

kat are you saying those holy verses from the koran are false? or will you confirm they are gods word?

November 29, 2011 at 2:35 am |

Kat

I am saying you don't know what you're talking about and reading out of context. If I thought you were honest I would have explained to you the context of these verses and what exactly they refer to, but I see you choose to see/hear what you want to see/hear.

November 29, 2011 at 2:39 am |

marhaba

@Mark David....you poor poor human being.....GET A LIFE! You're full of hatred....it's people like you the world should fear!

November 29, 2011 at 2:50 am |

Mark from Middle River

Mark, it is just something through out history, and not even modern history. The bonds between the Jewish faith and the Muslims have occurred many times and places in history. Even currently Tehran, Iran has a Jewish population, so much so that they have more synagogues than in many western capitals.

What you are doing is what Bin Laden did, you are reading a verse and saying that only your interpretation is the true interpretation. This reading of the Koran is no different than the reading of any doc'ument, including the laws of our land. Think about it, the Consti'tution is heralded as one of the greatest doc'uments in history but we have tens of thousands of lawyers determined to convince folks, all the way to the supreme court, that their interpretation of the law is the correct or true way.

The truth is that the Koran calls for protection and even declares that the People of the Book are kin to Islam and that the Kingdom of Heaven will be to those that recognize that God or Allah is the one true God.

So, while you grasps and cling to the verses that the terrorist cling to, others will cling to the ones of peace.

Gotta say, I would hate to wake up and see that I interpreted something the same as the terrorist. Would let me know I am on the wrong side of the fence. 🙂

November 29, 2011 at 2:58 am |

wyciwyg

in my opinion, the only way for any Mslim living in non-Muslim dominated countries to prove they are good guys: If/ when push comes to shove, you have to swear allegience to and fight FOR the country you live in against any Muslim forces who are warring against that country.

frankly, i think few if any hyphen-Muslims would be able to do that, go against other Muslims in defense of the country they live in. I think even "moderate" muslims would stand aside and watch Muslim forces overrun nonMuslm countries, their core belief is thoroughly set in stone - convert all nonbelievers or kil them.

November 29, 2011 at 2:06 am |

Mark David

many muslims in the armed forces have initated attack on fellow americans and have killed them. rather then fight their muslim brothers. remember muslims are against democracy and islam come first

November 29, 2011 at 2:08 am |

Mighty7

This Mark David guy is one serious bigot with some mental issues to boot: I am very close friends with an Army captain who is currently serving in Afghanistan and he has 16 muslim US soldiers under his command...ALL of them serving honorably like any other US citizen. He has known these people for 5 years and often has to defend them to imbeciles like this clown who probably never served a day in his life and is playing his hate trumpet for the usual bigots in the comment board.

November 29, 2011 at 2:16 am |

mmi16

Muslims kill more Muslims than non-muslims kill Muslims.

Most of the Muslim deaths that have occured in Iraq and Afgahnastan have been caused by Muslim terrorism against their own – sectarian and non-sectarian.

November 29, 2011 at 2:17 am |

Mark David

you are lying mighty7. want to know how i know? the percentage of muslims is not high enough to get that many under one person.

November 29, 2011 at 2:22 am |

James

The comments section here displays the prejudice and bigotry that normal American Muslim have to deal with. It's tragic to see, but then again America has a tragic history in that regard, whether it was mistreatment of Black people, Jews or Native Americans. Some people seem to forget their own history, when they insult another people's history.

November 29, 2011 at 1:56 am |

Mark David

muslim a religion knucklehaed not a people.

November 29, 2011 at 1:58 am |

Mark David

you must of thought muslims were a race of people....well no they are nnot. its a wacky religion.

November 29, 2011 at 1:59 am |

James

Muslims aren't people? What an ignorant thing to say.

You are a person, just not a very bright one, but you are still a person.

November 29, 2011 at 2:00 am |

wyciwyg

the difference, James, is Am,ericans and Christiansevlved, recognized the bad behavior and with the exception of a few knuckleads aka psychopaths,have changed and improved our behavior. On the other hand, muslims are STILL holding to the 14th century intolerance and mistreatment of all "infidels" as dictated by the Quaran. And don't quote me the Old Testament of "yeah but the Bible said.." Modern Christians do not subscribe to or practice those actions, unlike muslims who still resort to stonings, beheadings, honor killings (even today by supposedly educated modern muslim males).

November 29, 2011 at 2:15 am |

CJ

@ Mark David: Actually, Islam is the religion, Muslim are the people (rather the adjective describing a person)

November 29, 2011 at 2:19 am |

Mark David

my point was they are not a race of people or an ethnicity. like the op was stating

November 29, 2011 at 2:23 am |

Amanda

I couldn't have said it better James. That Mark David guy is probably a Zionist o Hinduvuta who's is getting paid.

simple fact of the matter is that NO religion has a pretty history, please disprove this statement! I will be pleased =]
There's a saying in my religion, "The church is true, the people are not". everyone here arguing and trying to disapprove of or bash on any other religion is being ridiculous. What happened to love one another? How about the good Samaritan? I'm not Islamic so I can't make any analogies here, but I'm sure there is also a parable of some sort that conveys the same message.

Go get some ice cream with your friends/kids or have a prayer for the things you're thankful for. It's way better than degrading people you don't even know.

November 29, 2011 at 1:44 am |

Mark David

acutaully you cant get even one muslim to say mohamhead ever did anything bad. at least the catholic chruch admits the crusades were bad.
and only 200,000 people over 200 years were killed in the crusades. people have this image of millions being killed but that was not the case.
turkey wont even put the armenian genocide in their history books. thats where the muslims killed 1 million xtian armenians in a genocide man women and child. its wrong. but the reason muslims wont say its wrong because anything that happens is the will of allah.

November 29, 2011 at 1:49 am |

Mark David

in reality there is not one case in history of xtian killing anyone. as jesus never taught this. infact he taught the opposite. so if you kill somone you are not following the tenets of xtianity and therefore not a xtian. just like a vegan who eats meat is not really a vegan even if they say they are.

November 29, 2011 at 1:52 am |

Kat

The Christian mass murderers throughout history beg to differ. They consider themselves true followers of the Bible that is full of God's bloody commands. Ask ex president whose role model is Jesus and used to receive advice from his heavnley father who told him to forge evidence and lie to you and start a bloody illegal war that made millions homeless and orphans. Jesus himself will come and exterminate all disbelievers according to the book of Revelations. It is apparent that you hang outt oo much in anti-islam christian sites for an atheist.

November 29, 2011 at 2:07 am |

Mark David

there are no verses in the new testament that tells xtians to kill, not even one. infact jesus said to love your enemys. just because somone calls themself a xtian does not mean they are. look at their works and see if they are following what jesus said.

November 29, 2011 at 2:10 am |

Mark David

kat show me one bible verse that orders xtians to kill. there is not one. but there are 112 verses in the koran that tell muslims to kill non muslims

November 29, 2011 at 2:14 am |

Kat

the New Testicle does not cancel the Old Testicle which is full of God's commands to commit geoncide. If Jesus was God also according to christians then he commanded genocide. Jesus himself said he did not come to change a letter from the OT. Furthermore, Jesus was never in a position of authority to see what he would do to his enemies. It is understandable to preach passivity when under the conditions. who was he gonna fight with? 12 disciplies? We know what he will do when he becomes the king according to the Book of Revelations. He will kill all freaks like you who reject his authority.

November 29, 2011 at 2:19 am |

Mark David

kat so its says a made up being called jesus will kill people. but where does it say for xtians to kill?

November 29, 2011 at 2:24 am |

Kat

Mark, you do realize that there is no such thing as "christian" in the bible? Jesus did not start Christianity. Jesus used the old book. Would you like me to quote for you numerous verses from the Bible about God's commands to his followers to extrerminate men, women, children, and even animals?

November 29, 2011 at 2:30 am |

Michael Jay

I see the issue in a simple light. I have yet to meet a devout Muslim who accepts that other religions are as valid as his. Every devout Muslim I have spoken to truly believes that it is his duty to convert, failing which to slay. In countries where Muslims are a majority, other religions are treated as second class, levied with a special tax, and otherwise have their religion suppressed. Speak to any Coptic Christian in Egypt who will tell you the sad details. Where Muslims are a plurality, there is conflict. Be it Nigeria, Thailand, the Phillipines, Muslim terrorism occurs on a regular basis. I do not say that all Muslims are terrorists but it certainly appears to me that most if not all terrorists are Muslim. Until tolerance is practiced rather than occasionally preached, until Imam's stop issuing and are legally precluded from issuing regular calls for jihad at Friday prayers, until they is a clear and legal separation between mosque and politics, several unhappy things can be certain. These include but are not limited to a continual rise in the number of terrorist plots and actual strikes, the movement of Muslim contries further into the extreme in both tone and deed, and the eventual use of a weapon of mass destruction on a western city.

I see no realistic solution. I see no way to combat this outcome. I see only blood, misery, and turmoil.

November 29, 2011 at 1:43 am |

James

You have been mislead or are being deceptive, especially when you consider that Muslim men are allowed to marry Christians or Jews. Likewise how do you explain that Egypt is still 10% Christian, despite being Muslim for centuries. They faired much better that the Native American people that's for sure.

November 29, 2011 at 1:50 am |

Mark David

james that is called strawman argument. what does native americans have to do with islam? look uup strawman argument

November 29, 2011 at 1:53 am |

Kat

good old Islamphobes hate propaganda that does not agree with simple facts and numbers: google europol data less than 1% of terror attacks by muslims

November 29, 2011 at 2:01 am |

Mark David

how many muslims did they catch before they could attack? look that up!!!! report back to me with the number

November 29, 2011 at 2:05 am |

HuntTheWumpus

Here's a novel idea: If you don't like the show, DON'T WATCH IT!!! It's really that simple....

November 29, 2011 at 1:42 am |

Lam6Sung

Our view against Muslims will be changed when we become friends with even a few of them. We then see that they live and breathe the same as all of us, they love and become sad as the rest of us. They are ordinary people, not monsters. If their religion becomes such an issue for us, are we not religiously intolerant ourselves? Sometimes it is the simplest truth that escapes us in our rush to judge and hate.

November 29, 2011 at 1:40 am |

Mark David

befriend a muslim and ask him if mohamhead says muslims can be friends with xtians or jews.

November 29, 2011 at 1:54 am |

James

Mark David is incorrect again. Of course Muslims can befriends with other people, often their countries are extremely diverse in religious make up, and Muslim men can marry Jews and Christians. Muslims are duty bound to protect them as well.

November 29, 2011 at 2:04 am |

Lam6Sung

The media has truly done us all a disservice by highlighting only the extremes. Of course, to answer your question, I know of Pakistani Muslims who not only befriend but marry people outside their religions. While the rate of intermarriage has declined, it still happens a lot. By one count in Canada, 10 percent of Muslims married outside their religion:

Watched the show once, but will not watch that piece of lopsided (biased and irrational) thinking. Muslims can be painted by the same brush as the KKK and Black Panthers, as any other organization and association, when they choose their speakers.

November 29, 2011 at 1:39 am |

James

The KKK are Christian, therefore any show that displays Christians as not being racist must be lopsided?

November 29, 2011 at 1:52 am |

Mark David

the KKK does not follow the teachings of christ so therefor they aren not xtians

November 29, 2011 at 1:54 am |

Mark David

After taking Mecca in 630, Muhammad also ordered the murder of a sIave girI who had merely made up songs mocking him. The Hadith are rife as well with accounts of women planted in the ground on Muhammad's command and pelted to death with stones for s3 xual immorality – yet the prophet of Islam actually encouraged his own men to r ape women captured in battle (Abu Dawood 2150, Muslim 3433) and did not punish them for killing non- Muslim women (as Khalid ibn Walid did on several occasions – see Ibn Ishaq 838 and 856).

November 29, 2011 at 1:33 am |

Mark David

is all this a lie kat? kat you have already said the hadiths were false correct? that they cant be trusted. why would holy books be wrong? like about mohamhead 9 year old s3x partner. if most of the hadiths are wrong and false then how can they be holy books? why even use them? the parts you dont like you say are not true. hmmmmmmmmmmmm

November 29, 2011 at 1:34 am |

Kat

just send us the link to your anti-islam hate site and save the space....all you do is copy and paste from hate mongering sites. All I can tell you is be open minded as the average athiest usually is and learn about Islam from neutral sources or befriend Muslims, odds you will find plenty working in your local hospital, school, or company and contributing to your community with their taxes and low crimes rate. Watch shows as All American Muslims. Muslims are cool fun loyal people who do not harbor hate and evil toward you as your conpiracy crapy sources have you believe. If I wanted to learn about Africa or African Americans I do not go to white supremacist web sites.

November 29, 2011 at 1:39 am |

Kat

haha you don't know what you're talking about. These works are not holy or sacred. Even their own authors admit in introduction that they collected the stories to the best of their abilities and they themselves classify their work into several levels of accuracy. They are as good as the other sources mentioned in the link that I posted.

November 29, 2011 at 1:41 am |

Mark David

so all the bad stuff is not true??? and any muslim that believes or follows the bad stuff written in the koran or hadiths is following the untrue parts? lhahahahahah

November 29, 2011 at 1:46 am |

James

What do your statements have to do with the story?

You say other people are going 'off topic', would you mind going 'on topic' and comment on the actual story. I think your tirade of comments is just a snap shot that illustrates what muslims in America have to deal with. If this reality show was about Jews would you start going on about the Old Testament?

November 29, 2011 at 1:47 am |

Mark David

kat do you agree with mohamhead r apeing women yes or no? its clearly stated he made love to his slaves. that would be r ape corrrect? or are you going to answer this by giving me a bible passage to deflect the question?

November 29, 2011 at 1:29 am |

Lick

Will all you religious nuts please kill each other and leave the rest of us alone.

November 29, 2011 at 1:27 am |

theSmartone

are you quoting Stalin or Mao?

November 29, 2011 at 3:36 am |

Brittyates

I don't think any of this has anything to do with being muslim, or American Muslim.

Come on people, I don't even understand why this is even an issue. Not too long ago Hitler was taking over Jews, White families in America were owning black people, Men were beating their wives (regardless of color or religion or anything else, talk to my grandmother who is in her 70's).

People kill people everyday, some in groups, some all by themselves. Just because one group of individuals attacked us doesn't mean that every individual that comes from that place or looks the same as them is gong to do the same thing. GROW UP PEOPLE... Is this going to be a never ending cycle? finding a group of people or single individuals to hate because we "THINK", or "HEARD" they are a certain way.

Be good to everyone and hope for the best, that's all you can do.

November 29, 2011 at 1:24 am |

b4bigbang

@Brittyates: You're making sense except that you went too far in the assumption that it was just one group of guys. There's currently a worldwide assault by jihadi groups on the west. When i was New Zealand 2000-2003 there was a case where the NZ police broke up a terrorist cell in Auckland. They were planning on blowing up a nuke reactor in Australia while the Olympics were to be going on. Just one example.
But i do have some cool Muslim friends, just dont assume islamic terrorism is an isolated anomaly...

November 29, 2011 at 1:31 am |

b4bigbang

Kat

and if they don't they will be exterminated with his sword according to the book of Revelations. Jesus will return to Armageddon and slay the warmongers who will be in the process of destroying the planet (the final world war). Jesus says "if those days were not cut short, then no flesh would be saved".

November 29, 2011 at 1:20 am |

Mark David

please stay on the subject this story is about islam

November 29, 2011 at 1:27 am |

Brandon

All I need to know about Islam I learned in Iraq.

November 29, 2011 at 1:19 am |

theSmartone

"oh yeah, i learnt all about islam while blowing up moslems everyday. let me tell you, moslems are full of schit, I swear, blow one up and see whats inside."

November 29, 2011 at 3:34 am |

Mark David

kat i want an answer from you and not some goofy jumping through hoops.....do you agree with mohamhead r aping women and ordering his troops to r ape women?

November 29, 2011 at 1:18 am |

Kat

that never happened. You're confusing prophet Muhammad with Biblical prophets who did exactly that – Numbers 31:17-18 goes "kill all boys, women, and girls but keep the virgin ones for yourselves"

November 29, 2011 at 1:21 am |

Mark David

kat this story is not about the bible. its about islam please stay on the subject. what you are doing is called the muslim game. which is deflecting to xtianity. when questioned about islam when you dont want to answer. ok this is not about xtianity were talking about islam that is what this article is about. ok kat??

November 29, 2011 at 1:24 am |

Mark David

kat mohamehead made love to his slave women who he captured after killing their husbands. is this not r ape in your book?

Here's how Muslims can get accepted: don't fly into buildings and kill thousands of innocent people! That is all.

November 29, 2011 at 1:18 am |

Brandon

Not decapitating toddlers and raping and murdering women would probably be nice too.

November 29, 2011 at 1:20 am |

Kat

you on the other hand are too stupid to be accepted anywhere..haha

November 29, 2011 at 1:23 am |

Kat

"Say to the disbelievers, I do not worship what/who you worship, and you do not worship who I worship, and I will not worship what/who you worship, nor will you worship who I worship. To you is your religion, and to me is my religion" 109:1-6

"Let there be no compulsion in religion for the truth is clear and falsehood is clear....It is not on you to guide them but God guides whoever He wishes" 2:256

"Invite to the path of your Lord with wisdom and kind preaching, and argue with them in the best ways. Surely God knows best who is misguided away from His path and who is guided. Be patient with God's help, and do not be saddened by them and do not be stressed out by what they plot. God is with the pious and with the good doers" 16:125-128

"Goodness and evil are not equal, so repel injury with good so that your enemy becomes as your best friend" 41:34

"Oh people, We have created you from male and female and made you nations and tribes so that you get to know/be good to each other..." 49:13

"whoever kills a soul without a soul or corruption on earth, it is as if he killed all people. and whoever saves a soul it is as if he saved all people" 5:32

"If they lean toward peace, then you too lean toward peace"

"Do not be unjust to a group of people because they're your enemy. Be just. That is closest to piousness" 5:8

T"Oh you have believed; care about yourselves. it does not hurt you whoever does not believe if you do. To God you all will return and He shall show you your deeds" 5:105

November 29, 2011 at 1:12 am |

TN Christian

This reminds me of the Mormons. If they have something in the book of mormon they don't like, they change it. It appears that Islam does the same thing. The Holy Bible, the one and only true work of the only living God, is the only truth. To accept the rantings of people who were not in their right minds is just plain stupid. Islam does not have a living God. We do. Our God will welcome you with open arms and you won't have to kill someone to be a child of His. He loves you just like he loves me. Open your heart to Jesus before it's too late for you.

November 29, 2011 at 2:01 am |

Kat

haha Allah never died a second, let lone brutally killed on a cross. Jesus who dried on the cross "Elah Elahi why have you foresaken me" is not God. Elahi = my God, Elah = Alah = God. Jesus and I worship the same God. You on the other hand worship Jesus, a man and your Gospels are all "according to Mark, John, Mathew and Luke". Where is the gospel according to God or according to Jesus?

The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.